I made this grilled Lime Chicken recipe twice last week. The first time, I used boneless, skinless chicken thighs and served the grilled chicken in slices over vermicelli bowls. Super yummy. And it was just as delicious the second time with drumsticks for a simple BBQ dinner alongside grilled corn and a simple, seasonal salad.
I love how Vietnamese and Thai cooks master the balance of salty, sweet, spicy and sour. My Lime Chicken isn’t authentic to any particular cuisine, but it is inspired by the flavours of those two – with brown sugar, lime juice, fish sauce and cayenne it hits all of those notes.
I like to marinate my chicken overnight – it really adds so much flavour. If an hour’s all you’ve got, it will still be tasty though.
We’re in the middle of a heat wave and I’ve been taking breaks from work to douse myself with the hose, fully clothed, just for some relief. If there’s one thing I miss about condo life, it’s air conditioning. Knowing that fresh, sun-ripened peaches await me at the farmer’s market this afternoon makes it significantly more bearable, as does the promise of a dunk in the ocean this evening.
I can’t believe that we are staring down the barrel of August already. We are leaving tomorrow morning to visit friends on BC’s Sunshine Coast for a couple of days, which will hopefully reset the schedule and help to pump the brakes on the swift passing of summer. It’s nice how a break from routine has the power to slow down time, doesn’t it? We should all do it more often.
If you’re in a heat wave, too, this Lime Chicken recipe is perfect for an al fresco dinner, and needs nothing more than a chilled cucumber salad and a hunk of bread to make it totally satisfying.
Related: The Only 11+ Chicken Drumstick Recipes You’ll Ever Need
Grilled Sweet & Spicy Lime Chicken
Ingredients
- 4 large cloves garlic minced
- 3 tbsp brown sugar
- 2 tbsp fresh lime juice
- 1 tbsp fish sauce
- ½ tsp ground turmeric
- ¼ tsp ground cayenne
- 1 tsp coarse salt
- 2 lbs chicken drumsticks or other pieces
- oil for grilling
Instructions
- Combine first seven ingredients in a shallow baking dish large enough to hold all of the chicken. Add the chicken and toss to coat. Marinate, refrigerated, for at least two hours, and up to 24 hours. Stir the chicken occasionally to ensure even distribution of marinade.
- Preheat grill on medium-high heat. Lightly oil the grilling grates and cook chicken for about 30 minutes, or until internal temperature reaches 160ºF, flipping occasionally. If at any point the chicken is charring too quickly or flare-ups occur, turn off half of the burners, move chicken to the unlit side and close the lid. Cook in this indirect heat method, keeping lid closed as much as possible, until internal temperature is reached.
Wow.